Matt Gaetz appears to have withdrew his name to be Trump's attorney general nominee
Former Republican Representative Matt Gaetz announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing his candidacy to serve as Attorney General in President-elect Donald Trump's administration.
"I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday," Gaetz wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "I appreciate their thoughtful feedback and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump-Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1."
Gaetz added, "I remain fully committed to ensuring that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice, and I'm certain he will Save America."
Trump Responds to Gaetz's Decision
Sources familiar with the matter told ABC News that Gaetz informed Trump of his decision late Thursday morning. Trump, who had been making personal calls to lawmakers to build support for Gaetz, responded with a statement thanking him for his efforts and asserting that the decision to withdraw was entirely Gaetz's own.
"Matt was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect," Trump wrote. "Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!"
Support and Reactions
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, who accompanied Gaetz to meet with GOP senators on Wednesday, praised Gaetz's commitment, writing on X: "I’m extremely grateful for the work Matt put into the nomination process. He made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration. Matt is a patriot, and I look forward to seeing what he does next."
The announcement comes just over a week after Trump nominated Gaetz, a conservative firebrand and vocal Trump ally, for the position. Gaetz resigned his congressional seat shortly after the nomination, which surprised many Republicans and raised concerns within the Justice Department and on Capitol Hill.
Divisive Nomination
The announcement was met with mixed reactions from Republican senators, many of whom had expressed skepticism about Gaetz’s ability to secure confirmation.
"I know enough people that were a 'hell no' in the conference to know that the path would have been very, very difficult, if possible, and I doubt it was," said Senator Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., who expressed "relief" at the news.
Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., noted, "I think it was the right decision," despite Gaetz's optimism during their Capitol Hill meeting.
Republicans who had voiced concerns praised the move. "I think that was an excellent move on behalf of the incoming president," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, echoed the sentiment, calling it a "sound decision."
The withdrawal allows Trump to focus on quickly filling the Attorney General role, ensuring his Justice Department is operational when his administration begins in January.